Call of the Huia: 100 early New Zealand Art Songs
African American singer Moses Hamilton Hodges (1869? – 1930?) came to New Zealand as part of the Fisk Jubilee Singers in 1892. He decided to leave the troupe while here and first lived in Auckland and then Wellington. He was a frequent bass soloist with choral societies around the country. His wife joined him in 1899 and they set up a music school in Wellington. He returned to the United States in 1924.
Twilight is found in the manuscript collection of Mary Ann Lindsay at the Alexander Turnbull Library, a notebook into which she copied music by several, mostly foreign composers reflecting her musical preferences. The album is dated 1904, but it is unclear whether the material in the book was copied all at once or compiled over a period of time. How she came by the song is also a mystery but presumably she had some contact with the composer.
Recorded 12 February 2021, St Andrew's on The Terrace, Wellington by RNZ Concert
Producer: David McCaw for RNZ Concert
Engineer: Darryl Stack for RNZ Concert
Video: Chris Watson for SOUNZ
The Call of the Huia research project by music historian Michael Vinten is funded by the Lilburn Trust with support from the Alexander Turnbull Library, the Hocken Library, SOUNZ Centre for NZ Music, RNZ Concert and others. The scores with CDs for Call of the Huia can be purchased in hard copy or as digital download from SOUNZ.
